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CDC Info on Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease)

The following is from the CDC website, where extensive information on the Ebola Virus Disease is presented. Note the use of the word “aerosol” rather than “airborne”.

Be sure to scroll down the page to the section titled: Key Components of Standard, Contact, and Droplet Precautions Recommended for Prevention of EVD Transmission in U.S. Hospitals.

Note the use of the word “droplet” instead of “airborne”.

As I understand it aerosol and droplet refer to the suspension of viruses for a short distance, while airborne would mean transmission over longer distances. Perhaps a medical professional could clarify this by leaving a comment. Your help, and the help of all healthcare workers, in dealing with the Ebola virus is appreciated.

Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Hospitalized Patients with Known or Suspected Ebola Virus Disease in U.S. Hospitals.

CDC Headquarters, Atlanta

Standard, contact, and droplet precautions are recommended for management of hospitalized patients with known or suspected Ebola virus disease (EVD) (See Table below). Note that this guidance outlines only those measures that are specific for EVD; additional infection control measures might be warranted if an EVD patient has other conditions or illnesses for which other measures are indicated (e.g., tuberculosis, multi-drug resistant organisms, etc.).

Though these recommendations focus on the hospital setting, the recommendations for personal protective equipment (PPE) and environmental infection control measures are applicable to any healthcare setting. In this guidance healthcare personnel (HCP) refers all persons, paid and unpaid, working in healthcare settings who have the potential for exposure to patients and/or to infectious materials, including body substances, contaminated medical supplies and equipment, contaminated environmental surfaces, or aerosols generated during certain medical procedures.

HCP include, but are not limited to, physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, therapists, technicians, emergency medical service personnel, dental personnel, pharmacists, laboratory personnel, autopsy personnel, students and trainees, contractual personnel, home healthcare personnel, and persons not directly involved in patient care (e.g., clerical, dietary, house-keeping, laundry, security, maintenance, billing, chaplains, and volunteers) but potentially exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted to and from HCP and patients. This guidance is not intended to apply to persons outside of healthcare settings.

As information becomes available, these recommendations will be re-evaluated and updated as needed. These recommendations are based upon available information (as of July 30, 2014) and the following considerations:

High rate of morbidity and mortality among infected patientsRisk of human-to-human transmission
Lack of FDA-approved vaccine and therapeutics

Did you like reading our collection on Ebola virus? We update new information on Ebola Virus weekly. We would like to see you back on our website to enjoy more valuable reading. There is a lot we still have to cover on this fast moving story.